'Set up paddy procurement centres within a fortnight'

Kodagu District In-charge Minister V Somanna on Saturday directed Food and Civil Supplies department to set up paddy procurement centres wherever needed within a fortnight.

The minister issued directions to the department after MLA K G Bopaiah and Kodagu Zilla Panchayat Standing Committee President C K Bopanna highlighted the delay in procurement of paddy in the district at the KDP quarterly review meeting organised at Zilla Panchayat hall.

Bopaiah said that the farmers had begun to harvest the paddy crop. Due to the delay in opening paddy procurement centers, farmers were forced to dump the paddy crop in fields. Some farmers had begun distress sale by selling one quintal of paddy for as low as Rs 1,200.

RMC godowns in Gonikoppa and other places should be utilised to stock paddy, he urged. In-charge Deputy Director of Food and Civil Supplies Department Gaurav said 13 rice mills had been idenified and as on Friday 26 farmers including 21 from Madikeri had registered with the department.

Somanna emphasing on co-ordination between departments, said, “An adalat should be held in Deputy Commissioner’s office once a month.” He urged officials not to force public to run from pillar to post. Show some humanity and rushed to the help of the public, who are facing many problems due to natural calamities, he stressed.

In the meeting, Bopaiah lashed against Forest officials for harassing the public. He took DCF Prabhakar to task for remaining indifferent to his requests on removing huge logs lying near the bridges in Mokkodlu, Hammiyala and Hemmatthal. Officials are also posing hurdles for widening the road connecting Kerala, he charged.

Somanna appealed to forest officials to discharge their responsibilities with compassion. “If there are any problems, bring it to my attention,” he said. The minister also instructed officials concerned to visit tribal hamlets and ensure that the title deeds are issued before February 04.

The district administration was also asked to expedite desilting works at Harangi dam planned at a total cost of Rs 130 crore. Earlier Somanna inaugurating `Mamatheya Thottilu’ on the district hospital premises and urged public to place new born babies in Mamatheya Thottilu.

“No cases will be filed against those who abandon babies and those who place the babies inthe Thottilu,” he assured.